Pisani travels widely through the archipelago to deliver an affectionate portrait of a diverse, dynamic and eccentric country.

It is her impish humour that is infused throughout that will draw readers in… Pisani has produced a book on Indonesia that is as fresh for the novice as for those who have a lifetime of experience in the country.

Desy Nurhayati writes about Elizabeth’s appearance at the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in the Jakarta Post.

Because of Pisani’s willingness to immerse herself in a local habitat, we’re treated to a full portrait of Indonesian culture, politics, language and commerce. One could ask for no better guide to this sprawling country…

Pisani has an engaging way with words, making the reader’s journey all the more fun…

…show(s) how much is left to be done to create a fully realised and sustainable political system and culture in such a diverse and complex country. And why we need to pay a lot more attention to what is happening there.

For many, Indonesia is mysterious place of shadow puppets and spice islands, though perhaps for viewers of the recent film The Art of Killing the brutal anti-communist pogroms of the 1960s might also loom large. A more coherent picture emerges, however, from Elizabeth Pisani’s lucidly analytical but affectionate new book.